SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
inert
adjective
Inactive or lacking the ability or tendency to move or act.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
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A useful distinction
Alternatives apply to the displayed meaning. Related wording may differ in tone or grammar and is not always interchangeable.
Inactive or lacking the ability or tendency to move or act
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
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CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See inert in use
The inert machine waited for its replacement motor.
Without a clear purpose, the committee remained inert.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license